Derrick cap



Oct. 8,1929. 5 RPBATHURST I 1,731,121

DERRICK CAP Filed 001:. 11, 1926 2 Sheets-$heet l Patented Oct. 8, 1929 EDWARD P.'BATHURST, OF BEPBESA, CALIFORNIA DERRIOK CAP Application filed October 11, 1926, Serial No. 140,843.

This invention relates to derrick caps, sometimes called derrick mast caps, derrick guy caps, or guy caps.

The objects of my invention are: to provide a self-aligning derrick or mast cap which will adjust itself to the pull of the guy cables Without causing any binding between the cap and the gudgeon pin of the mast, thus avoiding, in a large measure, the friction between the cap and the pin; to provide a cap which will permit repairs thereto without dismantling the mast, and to provide a cap of simple and suitable means whichwill permit the mast to be swung into any direction with i out any interference of the cap or its parts.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in View I have invented the device shown in the accompanying drawings, in whichFig. l is I a vertical axial section of the device, showing it located atthe top of a mast, also shown in section; the gudgeon pin holding the cap to the mast being shown in elevation; Fig. 2 is a plan view 01" the cap; Fig. 3 is a top view of the two halves of the lower bearing plate; Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the spherical bearing; Fig. 5 is avertical view, with the nut in section, of one of the bolts and nuts which serve to hold the parts together; Fig. 6 shows parts of the two bearing plates, the upper view being a vertical section through the upper bearing plates, and the lower view being a side elevation of one of the halves of the lower bearingilate; Fig. 7 is a plan view of one of the bearing-washers, and Fig. 8 is a view of the same washer in side elevation.

Referring more particularly to the drawing". in which like numbers refer to like parts, 2 represents the mast, which is not a part of my invention, and neither is gudgeon pin 3. Lhese are of the usual construction used in the art to which my invention appertains. Bearing washers 4. are placed as shown in the drawings, one below the guy cap, and the other above it; both being held in position by gudgeon pin 3. The bearing washers and cap are prevented from slipping from the pin by a cotter pin, or other suitable means, through a hole, such as 7 in the upper end of pin 3.

On gudgeon pin 3 is rotatably mounted a spherical bearing, and cooperating therewith, and movably mounted thereupon, are bearing-plates 8 and 9,Which are annular in form and have internal spherical surfaces adapted to loosely fit upon the outer surface of bearing 5. Plates 8 and 9 are recessed, as shown by thenumerals 13 in Fig. 6, and are so proportioned and related that they will fit upon, when placed together in operative relation as shown in Fig. 1, annular guy-plates 14 and 15. Plates 8, 14, 15, and 9 are so correlated that they may be bolted together by bolts 16, which are more particularly shown in Fig. 5 as having counter-sunkheads 17, and countersunkpiuts 18. However, instead 01 using this special type of nut the ordinary nut with a countersunk washer could be used.

In order to prevent the shearing of bolts 16 by the plates through which they pass, due

to the great strains usually associated with devices of this kind, I provide rings 11 and 12, which are of annular form, the diameters of their inner circles being approximately the same as the outer diameters of bearing-plates 8 and 9. Bolts 19, shown in Fig. 2, pass through plates 14,15 and rings 11, 12, and firmly hold these parts together. Holes 20, passing through plates 14 and 15 only, are provided for the purpose of fastening the guy cables to the cap, by means of clevises or other suitable means. i

the arrangement shown, which is a preferable though not exclusive one, it is obvious that by removing nuts 18, and bolts 16, the upper bearing-plate 8 and the two halves of lower bearing-plate 9 may be re moved and the spherical bearing 5 may be taken from the gudgeon pin without looseningthe guy cables. For, when this has been done, plates 14:, 15 and rings 11 and 12, which will still be bolted together, may be let down upon the mast-head and kept there until the parts removed are renewed, when the reverse process will bring the cap back into the same relative position with respect to the mast that it had before, and as shown in Fig. 1. Thus the wearing parts of the device, as also g udgeon pin 3, may be removed or replaced without dismantling the mast otherwise.

It is manifest, too, that by this construction plates 1a and 15, to which the guy cables are attached, may adjustthemselves to a position of equilibrium, in so far as the pulling forces acting along the guy cables are concerned, by simply sliding over the surface of bearing 5 to an acute angle with a horizontal plane, and without causing any appreciable binding between that bearing and the gudgeon pin. Thus the friction between the cap and the gudgeon pin, which is caused in the common cap by a binding on the pin through unequal strain of the guy cables, and the consequent wear on these parts, will be reduced to a minimum by my device. v

The bolt-heads 17 are of the countersunk type in order to give more clearance between the guy cap and the mast in the event of excessive tilting of the guy-cap.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

l. A derrick having a mast and a gudgeon pin; in combination, a spherical bearing revolubl mounted on the gudgeon pin, washers on said pin at opposite sides of the bearing, one being interposed between the bearing and the mast, means on the gudgeon pin next to the other washer and holding the assembly in place, means to which guy members are attachable, and a pair of bearing plates atta ched to said preceding means having spherical portions rotatably and oscillatably riding upon said bearing, being limited in said oscillations by the washers, one of said plates being made in halves permitting the disassembly of the device from the gudgeon pin for making repairs to said guy members.

2. A device of the character described comprising means to which guy members are at tachable, said means having a spherical recess, a gudgeon pin, and a spherical bearing revoluble upon the gudgeon pin and occupying said spherical recess.

3. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of plates to which guy members are attachable, a mounting to carry said plates, bearing plates applied to said plurality of plates having means to ride upon said mounting, means including bolts by which all of the plates are secured together, and means independently securing the plurality of plates to prevent shearing of the bolts.

A device of the character described comprising means to which guy members are attachable, a spherical bearing, and bearing plates carried by said means, having portions termed to revolubly and oscillatably ride upon said spherical bearing, one of said plate being made in halves to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the device in respect. to the spherical bearing.

5. A device of the character described comprising a spherical bearing and washers at each side thereof all to be assembled upon a gudgeon pin, means to which guy members are attachable, and bearing plates attached to and carrying said means, having portions formed to revolubly and oscillatably ride upon the spherical bearing, said washers limiting the oscillation.

6. A device of the character described comprising guy plates to which guy members are attachable, a bearing, bearing plates applied to the guy plates, said bearing plates having portions fitting inside of the guy plates, and upon said bearing, means including bolts securing the guy plates and bearing plates to gether, and rings fitted around the bearing plates on'the outsides or the guy plates, and being independently secured thereto to prevent shearing of the bolts.

7. A derrick having a fixed gudgeon pin; a bearing revoluble around the axis of tie gudgeon pin, and means constituting a cap both angularly and oscillatably revoluble upon said bearing.

8. A derrick-having a fixed gudgeon pin; a bearing revoluble around the axis of the gucgeon pin, means constituting a cap both angularly and oscillatably revoluble upon said bearing, and means on the gudgeon at one side of the bearing limiting the oscillation of the cap means in one direction.

9. A derrick having a fixed gudgeon pin; a spherical bearing fitted on the gudgeon pin to revolve around the axis, and plane plates secured together in assemblage around the bearing for revolving and oscillating movements.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EDXVARD P. BATHURST. 

